Key result
Despite its in vitro antioxidant properties, Althernantera brasiliana extract did not protect peripheral blood mononuclear cells from doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and synergistically increased cytotoxicity.
Why the study?
Chemotherapy agents like doxorubicin cause cytotoxic cellular damage through oxidative stress in healthy cells, prompting investigation into whether Althernantera brasiliana extract protects against doxorubicin-induced DNA damage.
Does Althernantera brasiliana extract prevent doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and cytotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells?
Does Althernantera brasiliana extract prevent doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and cytotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells?
Although Althernantera brasiliana extract exhibits in vitro antioxidant properties, it does not protect peripheral blood mononuclear cells from doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and may exacerbate cytotoxicity.
May warrant preclinical validation before any clinical use; leaves open whether HEAB protects against doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in patients.
Doxorubicin (DOXO) is a chemotherapeutic agent that exerts cytotoxic effects through oxidative stress. Given the need to neutralize the cellular damage caused by chemotherapy drugs in healthy cells, this study aims to investigate the activity of Althernantera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze against DNA damage induced by DOXO in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). For this purpose, a hydroethanolic extract from flowers and leaves of Althernantera brasiliana (HEAB) containing phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and condensed tannins was prepared. The phytochemicals of EHAB showed a lower IC50 value than ascorbic acid, which was associated with its ability to chelate iron ions. Despite its antioxidant properties, EHAB did not show a protective effect on DOXO-induced DNA damage in PBMCs. In addition, the treatment with DOXO and varying concentrations of EHAB (50 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL) decreased cell viability and increased late apoptosis PBMCs, suggesting a synergistic cytotoxic effect of EHAB when used in combination with DOXO. Therefore, even though EHAB shows antioxidant properties in vitro, it does not appear to be an alternative to protect blood cells from genotoxic effects induced by DOXO.
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Parisi et al. (2024) studied Healthy (PBMC donors) (n=10). Hydroethanolic extract of Althernantera brasiliana (HEAB) vs. Doxorubicin alone (5 µM) was evaluated on DNA damage (γH2Ax detection) and cytotoxicity. Despite its in vitro antioxidant properties, Althernantera brasiliana extract did not protect peripheral blood mononuclear cells from doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and synergistically increased cytotoxicity.
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